Triangle Borea BR08 Speaker Review – Something Quite Unexpected

Triangle Borea BR Zero Eight Speaker Review:
Detail, drama and something quite unexpected

Review by Steve Graham

Boring Stuff First

Manufacturer’s Specifications:
Tweeter: 2.5cm (1”) silk dome
Midrange: 16cm (~6.5”) natural cellulose paper cone
Woofers: Two, 16cm (~6.5”) fiberglass cones
Sensitivity: 92dB/W/m
Frequency range: 40Hz – 22KHz (+/- 3dB)
Power handling: 150W
Nominal impedance: 8Ω
Minimum impedance: 3Ω
Cabinet Dimensions: 8.11” W, 40.15” H, 12.36” D
Dimensions with Pedestal: 10.23” W, 41.37” H, 14.17” D
Weight: 41.6 lbs.
Finishes: Light oak, black, walnut, white
Price: $1,999 Canadian/pair list, $1,699 US/pair list
North American Distributors:
Motet Distribution in Canada http://motetdistribution.com/
Antal Audio Group in the U.S.A. http://antalaudio.com/
Triangle France: https://www.trianglehifi.com/en/

 

The only minor concern in the specs is the minimum impedance dip to 3 ohms. Most likely not a problem with a solid-state amp, though with a tube amp, a 4-ohm output tap would likely be beneficial. I employed the 4 ohm taps on the amps used for this review. Even though they are quite sensitive at 92dB/W/M, the 3-ohm minimum impedance will require some current. This might preclude the use of low-powered amplifiers, especially single-digit-watt tube amplifiers, unless you listen to string quartet or small jazz trio recordings and/or your listening room is on the small side.

Some listeners might rule out the Borea series of speakers as old-fashioned due to their use of silk domes and paper cones. It’s the implementation of materials that matters more than the materials themselves. Wilson, makers of speakers with win-the-lottery-like-prices, has returned to fabric domes and paper cones.

The review system consisted of my usual NAD 50.2 music player, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Audio Research Reference 3 line stage and Reference 110 power amplifier. Cabling was Cardas and Kimber. AC was conditioned by a PS Audio regenerator.

 

Expectations (Not) Met

Back in late 2020, I reviewed (and subsequently bought) a pair of Triangle Borea BR02 speakers. I was expecting similar performance from the BR08s. I didn’t get it. What I got was something quite surprising. My theory is that the BR02, like many small speakers, must “grab” the listener to compensate for their small size. Larger speakers need not necessarily do this. The BR08 is a much more refined speaker than I was expecting. It wasn’t boring or laid-back. It was, for lack of a better description, self-effacing, but still easy to engage with.

I don’t like components that sound ponderous. If the music requires startle, attack and drama, I don’t want anything to get in the way of this. Even if these macro dynamic swings are of little importance to some listeners there is benefit to having it on tap. My position is, if you have good macro dynamic representation, then the micro dynamics will take care of themselves. It’s the micro dynamics that gives us nuance and detail. At least that’s my theory.

I’m not saying I want hyped-up detail from a too-bright tweeter or shouty midrange. At times I thought the BR08’s treble sounded a bit laid back, but familiar pieces of music revealed this to not be the case. I’d say the treble balance of the BR08 is well-judged. We all have some ear-burning, digital horrors residing on our servers and the BR08s won’t make these artificially pretty. Decent recordings will have high frequency detail presented cleanly without aggression.

To say I’m impressed by the level of performance offered at this price is an understatement. Bowled over would be more accurate.

 

Ooh La La

Steve’s preferred finish is the dark walnut

Through the mid frequencies instruments and voices are cleanly rendered. The level of communication and involvement is very good. Woodwinds especially seem to be well represented, though to single out one group of instruments is perhaps unfair. The BR08s don’t really favour any instrument or vocal range over others. To say I’m impressed by the level of performance offered at this price is an understatement. Bowled over would be more accurate.

When it comes to the low bass end of the spectrum, there’s only so much that can be achieved with two 6½” woofers at this sensitivity spec in this enclosure size. Subterranean bass is too big an ask. Though not super-deep, the bass is fast and well controlled. It starts and stops quickly as required. Bowed and plucked basses have great attack and detail. This quality is for me, the thing that makes acoustic music seem more lifelike. It’s the drama thing I keep harping about. You can’t add it, only take it away. When present, speed and drama release the living breathing soul of the performance.

My main listening room has been tricky to come to terms with. When my wife and I designed and built our dream home, I attempted to make the dimensions of the listening room to agreeable acoustic properties. The best laid plans can go sideways when frivolities like load bearing beams, duct work and plumbing must be accommodated. Through two major renovations and a bunch of treatment I’ve more or less tamed this monster. Severe slap echo, early reflections and room modes have been ameliorated. There is still one aspect of room acoustics I’m fighting. I can get great bass extension or clarity and soundstaging through the mids and highs, but not both together. I tend to favour the latter over the former, but sometimes the non-audiophile in me craves that little bit of extra bass “whomp”.

And how did I conclude that the BR08’s performance is so great you might ask? The speakers that normally reside in my main system are Spendor D9s. No, the BR08s don’t seriously challenge the approximately seven times more expensive Spendors. (Like a lot of my gear, I got the Spendors used, for about sixty cents on the dollar.)

But the fact that the BR08s don’t disappoint when subbed in for the D9s says a lot about the Triangle’s performance. The driver compliment, two 6½” woofers, one 6½” cone midrange and a dome tweeter are the superficial similarities between the Spendor D9s and the Triangle BR08s. The Spendors have a larger cabinet, are a bit less sensitive and go noticeably deeper in the bass. They also have a balance, grace and wholeness that the Triangles can only hint at. But the fact that the Triangles, at one seventh the price can offer a glimpse of the performance that their cross-channel rivals have, is really quite stunning. We must also keep in mind that the Borea series are Triangle’s entry-level speakers, while the D series is from the upper echelons of Spendor’s product line. Source material permitting, both speakers had good soundstage width, but the Spendors yielded a deeper stage with more specific placement. The BR08s might not “impress” with a quick listen, but they have a level of refinement that belies their price.

 

Testing 1-2-3

To evaluate the BR08s in a different scenario I connected them up to what I describe as our “living room” system. This might be a more typical domestic scenario for the non-audiophile, or one that must make domestic compromises. Our living room is a two-story space with a large second floor gallery. It is also adjacent to our kitchen/dining room. Normally the speakers that reside in this system aren’t ideally placed, but on a temporary basis I can optimize their position. The source is a Lumin D1 music player feeding a “reimagined” 25-wpc tube amp based on a donor Heathkit transformer set. In this system the BR08s played well, but the amplifier didn’t have what I would consider to be the best bottom end grip and control. Likely that 3-ohm impedance minimum having some effect. I’d say that realistically, regardless of room size or type of music, it would be best to have a minimum of fifty quality watts on tap. The BR08s just beg to be cut loose a bit. Maybe the liberties I like to take with the volume control is just my residual teenager trying to assert itself. A quality twenty-five watt amp might be fine if you possess more self-control than I do.

Cosmetically I’d rate the BR08s at OK, though we must keep in mind that they are from Triangle’s entry-level series. The cabinets are vinyl wrapped. The light oak of my audition pair would never convince anyone that they are real wood. The walnut vinyl of my BR02s give a more convincing impression of something that actually came from a tree. The finish of the pedestal was barely OK, but you’d have to get down to floor level to notice.

 

Alors, écoutons

I had wanted to use only French music to evaluate the BR08s. My server has very little, but I managed to dig up a few.

This collection of Chabrier tunes is a studio recording. You can hear the room sound quite clearly. The strings are rendered well without being screechy. The BR08s capture the ebb and flow of the music well. Low level detail is good, and loud passages are handled with aplomb. My reference speakers do this better, but not stunningly so.

 

 

From the sublime to the ridiculous. This is French synthpop from a few years ago but it sounds like it could have been made in the nineteen-eighties. The BR08s don’t hide the compression and over-production. They do however have good pace and rhythm, and keep up with the bass line very well. They aren’t what you might consider party speakers, but the BR08s will play without strain at virtually any sensible volume.

 

This isn’t really a French composition, but the Pictures we hear most often is the version orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. An early digital recording that doesn’t grate too much, it is very dynamic and colourful. It is by turns relaxed and frenetic, lyrical and bombastic; the Triangles tracked it all.

 

I also played many of my current favourite tracks and albums as well as rediscovered some I hadn’t heard in a long time. There was nothing in the presentation heard from the BR08s that made me want to immediately replace them with my reference speakers.

 

Enfin…

To conclude, I don’t want to give the impression that the BR08s pale greatly in comparison to my Spendor D9s. The Spendors are my reference point. If the BR08s sold for a third the price of the D9s, say $4,500 Canadian, approximately $3,800 US (and had a slightly nicer cabinet finish), they would still be a good deal. The fact that they’re $2,000 CDN ($1,700 US), makes them a fantastic deal.

Like all things in audio, speakers are a personal choice, only more so. The Triangle Borea BR08 might not appeal to you, but if they fall within your budget, or even below, it would be a shame not to give them a listen. They’re also Miles-approved, see below.

 

Disclosure: Wall of Sound Editor Noam Bronstein is a dealer for products mentioned in this review, including the Triangle speakers.

 

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16 Comments on Triangle Borea BR08 Speaker Review – Something Quite Unexpected

  1. As an owner of Triangle speakers, your review proves what I hear is correct to my ears. Looking forward to more of your reviews. Thank you

  2. Tom Gillett // 2022/12/22 at 2:34 pm // Reply

    I have the slightly smaller (and less expensive) BR07 speakers, which may be even better suited for a small room. As the French say, incroyable. Incredible. One of the finest speakers you can buy at any price,

    • Hi Tom. I’ve got a pair of 07s on order for my smallish mid sized room, 13’x20′. They will be driven by an Audiolab 6000A integrated. Can’t wait to receive them. I really like my 03s, so the 07s should have more presence at higher volumes. I couldn’t pass up the deal with the rock bottom pricing. Enjoy. Btw, there really isn’t much info on the web on the BR07 model. I wish more publications picked up on that. They all went for the Br08 for their reviews. It is nice to be different I guess. Peace!

    • Is br08 good combination with Marantz pm6007?

  3. Steve Graham // 2022/12/22 at 6:32 pm // Reply

    Thank you, Ken and Tom, for taking the time to comment and for your interest in Wall of Sound.ca Triangle has raised the bar both for themselves and other manufacturers with the Borea series. Though Triangle’s previous generations of entry level speakers were decent and fun to listen to, they weren’t nearly as accurate and uncoloured as the Boreas. Could we be living in the second golden age of HiFi? Products like these make me think we might.
    Cheers, Steve Graham

  4. As usual, North American dealers have no idea what to do with speakers like this. So they’re blowing them out the door below cost, and devaluing the brand in the process.
    Noam

    • Tom Gillett // 2022/12/26 at 9:52 pm // Reply

      As usual, North American audio reviewers and magazines have no idea, either. I should know. I wrote for Stereophile for 30 years as Sam Tellig.

  5. Tom Gillett // 2022/12/24 at 12:18 pm // Reply

    Tom again. If you want incredible electronics to drive any Borea model, check out Atoll. The Atoll IN80 integrated will give you astounding sound for not a lot of scratch. Etonnant!

  6. Robert Jurcina // 2023/01/30 at 8:41 pm // Reply

    I’m a Canadian who’s been waiting for a an order of the well reviewed Polk Audio reserve (R600 towers) line to be filled since Dec 5/2022. The Borea line has been on my radar as well. Just saw a review by Andrew Robinson who was very complimentary of the Borea 9s in direct comparison to the R700s. Just did a quick dive in to some reviews of the Borea 08 which all appear very complimentary. One reason I went with the R600s was the down firing base port to allow more flexible placement ( closer to a wall). Andrew’s review stated the Bro 8 were able to be placed relatively close to a wall and measured as such. Cutting to the question, would you consider this as a option to switch to vs the Polk audio R 600? I think it stacks up very well on paper and in reviewer response. Good bass, reasonable detail and sound stage in a 3 way design of the Borea 8 vs the 2 and a half way of the Polk seems like a more than viable alternative. If anyone had actual experience with both would be of help deciding to cancel the Polk order and get the Triangles.

    • Hi Robert,
      I haven’t heard the Polk. It appears more geared to HT though. The BR08 is a superb 2ch music speaker. Hence Steve comparing it against a Spendor D9.

      Thanks to the current “competitive environment” I’m selling off this review pair at a nice price….reach out if you’re interested.

      Noam

  7. Murat Savaser // 2023/03/14 at 4:50 am // Reply

    Thanks for great reviews especially for people who make selections based on sound quality. I feel lucky seeing you have reviewed both speakers to which I narrowed my selection the BR08 and the Dali Oberon 5. Would like to hear your comments comparing these two in terms of sound quality and musicality. My amp will be a Marantz PM7000N or Bluesound Powernode N330.

    • Hi Murat,
      I didn’t end up doing a direct comparison between them. The only reason I thought of it was because Dali raised the price on the Oberon 5 to the same (MSRP) as the BR08. They are quite different. Oberon 5 is a very easygoing and fun listen, great for smaller and medium rooms. I know at least one person who drove them with a 2a3 SET amp(!). BR08 is a very capable speaker in bigger spaces, and likely more fussy about placement and amp. They’re both great all rounders.
      Noam

  8. Hello,
    Sorry to heat up an old review, but I haven’t seen this one until now.
    I’m a BR03 owner and I find them too bright with my Atoll IN100 Signature amp.
    I have auditioned the BR08s with a Yamaha AS2200 amp. The combination disintegrated when I played “Hell on Earth” from Iron Maiden, and not even on a very high level (less than 90 dB). Same case as with my BR03s at home.
    I would say that Triangle Boreas are good for darker-sounding amps and uncomplicated music. Otherwise, I find them too bright and in-your-face.
    Vlada

    • Hi Vlada,
      My assessment of these two models is more positive, though I have not subjected them to the Iron Maiden test. I agree they play better with a ‘softer’ amplifier – and even moreso with tube amps.
      Regards,
      Noam

      • Vladimir // 2023/05/14 at 5:20 pm // Reply

        Hi Noam,
        Agreed.
        Wasn’t trying to be dismissive of the Boreas.
        I do think they’re a very good value for money, especially if mated with a right amp.
        Best regards,
        Vlada

    • Hi Vlada. I’ve owned both of those amps, and they are both voiced on the cool side of neutral. The 2200 has a pretty large upper midrange bump that would really compliment a speaker like a Wharfedale Linton though.

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